Silene petersonii |
Silene regia |
|
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Peterson's campion or catchfly, plateau catchfly |
royal catchfly |
|
Habit | Plants perennial, rhizomatous; caudex thick, with many rhizomatous, creeping, branched, slender subterranean shoots, terminating in tight tufts of leaves and erect flowering stems. | Plants perennial; taproot stout, fleshy. |
Stems | simple, 5–15 cm, pubescent and viscid, with stipitate glands. |
several, erect, simple proximal to inflorescence, 50–160 cm, glabrous to sparsely retrorse-puberulent proximally, more densely so and glandular distally. |
Leaves | basal with blade 1-veined, oblanceolate, broadly spatulate, 1–4 cm × 2–8 mm, apex obtuse to acute, glandular-puberulent throughout, rarely subglabrous adaxially; cauline in 3–6 pairs, sessile, reduced distally, blade lanceolate, narrowly elliptic, or oblanceolate, 2–4 cm × 2–8 mm, apex ± acute, glandular-puberulent throughout. |
withered towards base at anthesis, in 10–20 pairs, sessile, gradually reduced distally; blade 3-veined, lanceolate to ovate, rounded into base, 4–12 cm × 20–50 mm, apex acute, not acuminate, glabrous to scabrous-puberulent adaxially, scabrous-puberulent abaxially. |
Inflorescences | usually with solitary terminal flower, sometimes cymose, to 8-flowered, open. |
terminal, cymose, compound, many-flowered, bracteate, pedunculate, 15–25(–30) × 5–10 cm; bracts lanceolate, 3–30 mm; peduncle ascending. |
Pedicels | erect or angled near tip with flowers slightly nodding, 1–3 times longer than calyx, glandular-puberulent, often densely so. |
1–4 times longer than calyx, stipitate-glandular, puberulent. |
Flowers | calyx prominently 10-veined, campanulate, not contracted proximally around carpophore, 15–20 × 4–8 mm, papery, margins dentate, veins parallel, usually purple tinged, with pale commissures; lobes ovate, 3–5 mm, glandular-puberulent, midrib triangular, margins purple tinged, broad, membranous, apex obtuse; corolla bright pink, clawed, claw equaling calyx, broad and ligulate but abruptly contracted into limb, limb broadly cuneate, shallowly to deeply 2–4-lobed, 5–15 mm, lobes broad or narrow, appendages absent or to 2 mm, margins erose; stamens slightly longer than corolla claw; stigmas 3(–5), slightly longer than corolla claw. |
calyx prominently 10-veined, tubular in flower, 18–25 × 3–4 mm, swelling in middle to 6–9 mm in fruit, umbilicate, constricted near base around carpophore, glandular-pubescent, especially on veins, veins green, lobes 2–4 mm, midrib lanceolate, margins often red tinged, broad, membranous; corolla scarlet, clawed, claw equaling calyx, limb oblong to elliptic, unlobed, rarely emarginate or shallowly 2-lobed, 10–20 × 5–6 mm, apex rounded, appendages 2, tubular, 2–4 mm; stamens exserted; styles 3(–5), exserted. |
Capsules | equaling calyx, opening by 6 (or 8 or 10) lanceolate teeth; carpophore 1–2.5 mm. |
ovoid-ellipsoid, narrowed at both ends, equaling calyx, opening by 6 (or 8 or 10) ascending teeth; carpophore 3–5 mm. |
Seeds | brown, broadly reniform, flattened, 2–2.5 mm, rugose, more coarsely so on margins. |
dark reddish brown, reniform, 1.5–2 mm, with smooth and glossy, flat or concave sides, margins angled, shallowly rugose. |
2n | = 96. |
= 48. |
Silene petersonii |
Silene regia |
|
Phenology | Flowering summer. | Flowering summer–fall. |
Habitat | Calcareous gravel, clay, talus, and rocks on ridges, slopes, and barren ground | Dry prairies, rocky open woods, woodland edges and thickets |
Elevation | 2000-3400 m (6600-11200 ft) | 100-400 m (300-1300 ft) |
Distribution |
NV; UT
|
AL; AR; GA; IL; IN; KS; KY; MO; OH; TN
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Discussion | Of conservation concern. This beautiful alpine species is variable with respect to density of pubescence, flower size, and petal structure. As this variation occurs both within and among populations, little useful purpose is served by giving names to it. The Nevada population, which is the basis for the name Silene clokeyi, is interfertile (A. R. Kruckeberg 1961) with populations in Utah (the basis for the name S. petersonii). Accordingly, a single species is recognized here without infraspecific taxa. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Silene regia is a very distinct, spectacular species with tall stems, a narrow, many-flowered inflorescence, and bright red petals. It is probably related to S. laciniata via S. subciliata. Silene regia is in the Center for Plant Conservation’s National Collection of Endangered Plants. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Source | FNA vol. 5, p. 198. | FNA vol. 5, p. 200. |
Parent taxa | Caryophyllaceae > subfam. Caryophylloideae > Silene | Caryophyllaceae > subfam. Caryophylloideae > Silene |
Sibling taxa | ||
Synonyms | S. clokeyi, S. petersonii var. minor | Melandrium illinoense, Melandrium reginum |
Name authority | Maguire: Madroño 6: 24. (1941) | Sims: Bot. Mag. 41: plate 1724. (1815) |
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